Heat sign Luol Deng, bring back Mario Chalmers, Birdman

July 13, 2014|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

MIAMI — He won't be asked to be LeBron James. For that loss, there is no replacement part. But Sunday's addition of Luol Deng makes the Miami Heat closer to whole than might have been expected after James' Friday's free-agency move to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Continuing his push for a rapid reconstruction, Pat Riley closed a deal Sunday that locked Deng, 29, into a two-year, $20 million contract.

Hours later, the Heat brought back point guard Mario Chalmers on a two-year contract, making it clear that 2016 could be their next big push into free agency.

Chalmers confirmed his return on Twitter, posting, "Proud to say I'm back wit the heat. Heat nation we still here."

That move was followed by the return of center Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who had been linked to other teams in the immediate wake of James' departure, including the New York Knicks, and the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks from his native Texas.

A party familiar with the situation told the Sun Sentinel that Andersen will receive a multi-year contract, with terms to be determined based on how the Heat finalize their position against the salary cap.

With Friday's agreement for Chris Bosh on an NBA-maximum five-year, $118 million contract, with the impending re-signing of Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem, with the additions of Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger, Riley continues to move the Heat closer to whole.

New contracts for Wade and Haslem are expected to be in place shortly, with no outside teams involved in the negotiations.

Because the Heat utilized salary-cap space for Deng, both McRoberts and Granger now will be signed into salary-cap space, as well, instead of the salary-cap exceptions they initially agreed to.

The downside is that for those not already under contract, the Heat will lose Bird Rights to many of their free agents, making minimum salaries the likely only avenues for returns for the likes of James Jones, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden.

Also, by utilizing cap space, the $2.2 million trade exception from when Joel Anthony was dealt to the Boston Celtics becomes extinguished, no longer available to the Heat.

Having dipped so far below the salary cap before the Deng signing, the Heat will not have to pay a luxury tax this coming season.

In Deng, the Heat get the type of wing defender they lacked last season outside of James, as well as a mid-range scorer who has thrived in winning situations previously, as one of the Heat's prime rivals when he played for the Chicago Bulls. Deng averaged 26.3 points and 9.0 rebounds when the Bulls swept the Heat in the 2007 first round, a year after Wade helped lead the Heat to the franchise's first championship.

Deng's contract provides the Heat with the opportunity for a 2016 makeover, when Kevin Durant and other top players are scheduled to hit the free-agent market.

Deng, who finished last season with the Cavaliers, had been pursued until his Heat signing by the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns and Mavericks. He also had been linked to the Washington Wizards, before they signed Paul Pierce for roughly half of what Deng will earn from the Heat.

Deng's contract has an opt-out after the first season.

The Heat initially pursued Deng during the early stages of free agency, amid the hopes of teaming him with James. But as James waited on his decision, the Heat instead moved to complementary pieces in McRoberts and Granger, before later cycling back to Deng as more of a leading man.

With Chalmers back, and with the Heat acquiring UConn point guard Shabazz Napier in the first round of the NBA Draft, it is possible the Heat could put the $2 million contract of point guard Norris Cole into play, amid the post-LeBron reconstruction by Riley. Several lower-cost veteran point guards remain on the market, including Jameer Nelson and Ramon Sessions.

With Andersen, it rounds out a power rotation that includes Bosh, McRoberts and Haslem.

In addition to the aforementioned players, the Heat's post-James roster also could include summer-league prospects such as James Ennis and Justin Hamilton, and other free agents who finished last season with the Heat.

The Heat still are allowed to add free agents at the veteran minimum, which maxes out at $1.4 million for the coming season.